Citizens of Shanghai who suffer disfigurement through performing a "heroic deed" will receive free cosmetic surgery.

Twenty-four-year-old Qian Ying was the first person to benefit from the new scheme after she received free surgery in her own home from a group of doctors from Shanghai Tianda Cosmetic Hospital on Monday.

Qian was hailed a "heroine" for fighting off a man who attacked her with a knife on October 23 last year. The attacker fled but Qian was left with four deep scars on her face and chest.

"We want to give back these heroes their normal lives to ensure they are not hindered by the scars on their faces," said Yang Changchun, official of Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Bureau figures show that 943 people in Shanghai have been recognized for acts of bravery by the local government since 1999. Previously, they were awarded small sums of money and victims of physical scarring were forced to turn to unqualified cosmetic surgeons for affordable treatment.

"Our heroes used to find their own cosmetic surgery hospitals and the chances of them being hurt again were high as many surgeons were unqualified," Yang said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2007)